EU Novel Food Rules for Indian Botanicals: What Ayurvedic Brands Must Check
In the European Union, any food or ingredient that was not consumed to a significant degree before 15 May 1997 is treated as a "Novel Food" and needs authorisation before it can be sold. For Indian botanical and ayurvedic brands, this single rule is one of the most common — and most expensive — reasons a launch stalls.
What is a "Novel Food" in the EU?
Under EU law, a Novel Food is a food that had no significant history of human consumption in the European Union before 15 May 1997. That includes newly developed foods, foods made by new processes, and — critically for Indian brands — plants, extracts and preparations that are traditional elsewhere but not established in the EU diet.
If an ingredient is classed as novel and has not been authorised, it cannot legally be placed on the EU market. There is no exception for "it has been used safely in India for centuries" — the EU test is specifically about EU consumption history and EU authorisation.
Why this catches Indian botanical brands off guard
Ayurveda and Indian wellness rely on a rich range of botanicals, many of which have limited documented use in Europe before 1997. The result is a grey zone: the herb is completely normal in India, yet its EU status is unclear or novel. Compounding the problem, the EU has no single consolidated list of permitted plants for supplements, so companies must actively check rather than assume.
Two products can also be treated differently depending on the form: a traditional whole-herb preparation and a concentrated modern extract of the same plant can have different Novel Food status. The extract, the solvent and the concentration all matter.
How to check Novel Food status before you ship
- Check the EU Novel Food Catalogue. The European Commission maintains a status catalogue indicating whether a plant or ingredient is considered novel.
- Check the Union list of authorised novel foods. If your ingredient is authorised, the conditions of use (form, dose, category) are specified there.
- Assess the exact preparation. Match your specific extract, part of the plant and process to the catalogue entry — not just the plant name.
- Plan around the timeline. If an ingredient is novel and unauthorised, a full authorisation requires an EFSA safety dossier and can take years. That reality should shape which products you launch first.
Your options when an ingredient is novel
If a hero ingredient turns out to be an unauthorised novel food, a brand is not stuck — but it does need a strategy:
- Sequence differently. Launch compliant products first and build the brand while the novel ingredient is assessed.
- Reformulate for the EU. Use an authorised form, part or extract of the plant that achieves a similar positioning.
- Pursue authorisation. For a genuinely differentiated ingredient, an EFSA dossier can be worth it — but only with eyes open to the cost and timeline.
Is your hero ingredient a Novel Food?
Meridian checks each formulation against the EU Novel Food Catalogue and per-market rules, then tells you exactly what can launch now and what needs a different route.
Screen your formulation — €199 →Frequently asked questions
What is a Novel Food in the EU?
A Novel Food is any food or ingredient that was not consumed to a significant degree in the European Union before 15 May 1997. Novel foods must be authorised before they can be legally sold in the EU.
Do Indian ayurvedic herbs count as Novel Foods?
Some do and some don't. A long history of use in India does not automatically satisfy the EU test, which is based on EU consumption history before 1997. Each botanical — and each specific extract or preparation — must be checked against the EU Novel Food Catalogue.
How long does Novel Food authorisation take in the EU?
A full authorisation involves a safety dossier assessed by EFSA and can take several years. Because of this, Novel Food status should be checked at the very start of market planning, not after products are manufactured.
Can I sell an unauthorised novel food if it's proven safe in India?
No. If an ingredient is classed as a novel food in the EU and has not been authorised, it cannot legally be placed on the EU market, regardless of its safety record in other countries.
Meridian Advisory is the trading name of Herbs Fusion SRL, a company established in the European Union (Romania).